Back to Frankfort to Adopt New Legislative Boundaries

Kentucky lawmakers will try once again to establish legislative boundaries this week in Frankfort. A first attempt to redraw house and senate boundaries based on 2010 census figures was ruled unconstitutional. Lawmakers tried again early in 2013 to no avail. Now, the court’s ready to step in, if it’s not done to meet constitutional muster.

Al Cross, a long time print journalist and current Director of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues at UK, believes the latest legislative maps from each chamber don’t ruffle too many political feathers.

“So I think cooler heads prevailed and they’ve both moved toward the middle and it would be very surprising to me if there was any great discord about it,” said Cross.

Cross, who spent decades covering politics at the Courier Journal newspaper, says a voter referendum on the subject might be the best solution.

"It’s just gotten much too political, especially with the fight for control of these chambers. There are half a dozen or so states that give this task to independent commissions. The final authority still rests with the legislature,” added Cross.

Lawmakers are meeting in Frankfort his week in special session. It’s expected to be concluded by the end of the week.